


Sleep

by TheKnightsJedi



Category: Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Genre: F/M, Force Bond, ben has a nightmare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:15:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKnightsJedi/pseuds/TheKnightsJedi
Summary: Rey provides comfort to the distraught Supreme Leader after a nightmare.





	1. Chapter 1

Rey jerked awake. Something was off, but what was it? No danger registered on her senses, so she closed her eyes and evened out her breathing. But before she drifted off again, a whimper from behind her caused her to roll over.

Ben lay beside her, sleeping. His strangely beautiful face contorted and he thrashed. A sheen of sweat covered his bare chest, further evidence of his discomfort. A moment later, he moaned as if in pain and curled in on himself, turning away from her.

The last time she’d seen him face to face, he’d begged her to join him, to rule beside him. She’d been tempted, so tempted to take his hand, but she couldn’t do it in the end.

Since that fateful day on Crait, the bond had remained mostly silent. She caught a glimpse of him here and there, but they never spoke.

Now, the fearsome Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order, lay beside the person that the galaxy believed to be his worst enemy, lost in some terrible dream.

“No,” he mumbled. “No, please.”

Seeing him in pain caused tears to prick Rey’s eyes and her throat tightened. Here, there was no Kylo Ren, only Ben Solo, the lost boy.

He cried out again, the sound of a wounded animal.

Chills raced down her spine at the sound and she knew she had to do something to help him. Slowly, Rey reached out, pressing her hand to his back in an effort to bring him some measure of comfort.

Ben woke with a shout, his eyes wild, and he pinned her to the bed, his hand tight around her throat.

“Ben,” Rey choked.

She slapped his arm in an effort to snap him out of his attack, but all that did was enrage him further. Reaching out with the Force, she pushed him back a little.

He blinked, sleep and fear bleeding from his face, only to be replaced by horror. He released his hold on her and sat back on his heels, his glistening chest heaving.

“Rey.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

His lips twisted and he drew a shuddering breath.

“Ben. Lie down.” Rey tugged on his arm. “You look exhausted.”

“I tried to kill you.”

“You were having a nightmare, Ben.” Rey sat up. “As soon as you realized what you were doing, you stopped.”

Ben shook his head. He stared at the sheet clenched in his fist.

“When was the last time you got a decent amount of sleep?” Rey asked, taking note of the bruise like shadows under his eyes, marring his pale skin.

“A while,” he admitted.

Rey pushed him gently so that he lay on his side, with his back to her.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Rey pressed her cheek against his back.

“Sleep.”

Ben finally relaxed in Rey's embrace and after a few moments, their breathing evened out.


	2. Tooka Doll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Rey's turn to receive comfort.

_She couldn’t catch them._

“ _Come back!” she screamed. “Come back!”_

_Who was she chasing? She wasn’t sure, but she knew she needed to get to them._

“ _Don’t leave me. Please.”_

_Rey looked around, desperately, searching, needing. She couldn’t see them. Where did they go?_

“ _Come back!”_

She jerked awake, gasping, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“No!” She reached out, then blinked into the darkness of her bedroom.

“Sh, sh.” Strong arms wrapped around her, tugging her close.

“Ben?” She looked up, the relief at seeing him washing over her.

“You’re safe. It’s just a dream,” he murmured into her hair as he brushed her tears away.

“You’re here.” Rey gripped him tightly, the sense of loss from her dream still clinging to her.

“Of course I’m here.”

Ben shifted so that Rey’s back was to his chest as he cuddled her closer, like a child might hold a beloved toy, a tooka doll, maybe. Rey relaxed into his embrace, pressing her cheek against his massive upper arm, his skin warm beneath her cheek. Reaching out with one of his large hands, he linked his fingers with hers. Rey brought her other hand up, resting it on top of his.

His warmth seeped into her, soothing the ragged edges of her heart, filling her, protecting her. His touch wasn’t just physical, but all encompassing, somehow reaching into her very soul. Rey exhaled shakily and tears stung her eyes again.

“It’s okay. I feel it too.” With his free hand, he combed his fingers gently through her hair. “You can take whatever you need from me.”

“Thank you, Ben.” As she drifted closer to sleep, Rey luxuriated in the companionship her supposed greatest enemy provided.

He cradled her closer, nuzzling his face against her back and caressed her wrist with his thumb.

“If they could see us now,” he said softly.

“’M glad they can’t,” Rey mumbled. “This’s ours. Don’t wanna share, not yet. Good things don’t last, not for me.”

He tightened his hold on her

Her last thought before sleep claimed her was that even though he was in the position of being the comforter, he still took comfort from her. No matter what he claimed to his men, to the galaxy at large, Ben Solo was still very much alive.


End file.
